September was fair

We got some pretty pictures of the flowers in the back yard-we love our butterfly bush! It looks beautiful, it smells beautiful and the butterflies that come are beautiful. The State Fair with the Barnards is also a tradition-we're so glad to have awesome friends. Rachy got a kick out of feeding the animals.

Wrapping up summer

We love our friends from church and utilize the summer to get together since we all go to different schools. Here are pictures from one of our outings to the park to play in the fountain. It was also Hannah's birthday-we entered double digits, I feel so OLD! Sarah started school (again, feeling old). She goes to 1/2 day PreK and was so excited to start. Rachy is like a little doll to her siblings-here they dressed her up, did her hair and even put on makeup and nail polish.

July's adventures

Mike took some pictures of Rachy so he could enter her in a cute baby contest, but he never entered. (I'd vote for her!) Independence Day parade in Haysville with the Barnards. The girls in the basement playing surgery on their toys. Mike and I took the young women on a high adventure canoe trip to Buffalo National River in Arkansas. It was pouring buckets of rain on us the afternoon we arrived. We set up and cooked in the rain-at least it was warm. Had this huge spider stow away in our trailer-the kids were fascinated. Good times. Our cousins, the Andersons stayed a night with us and the kids played hard.

Goings on in June

So, here's an overview of June: Rachy turned two! The kids helped me make her a farm themed cake. She got lots of gifts and really loved the cards with the $2 bills. Thanks grandpas and grandmas! Michael enjoyed raingutter regatta and Brenda enjoyed girls camp. Rachy's back and elbow are healing-no long lasting damage (physically or emotionally).

Back in May

Here is a picture of Brenda's birthday, Sarah (with giraffe) and Rachy (with goslings) at the zoo, Michael camping at Father's and Son's, and all of us camping at Wilson Lake with the Barnards. It was beautiful there and we had a great time with friends: eating, hiking, swimming. Rachy didn't come away unscathed, however. She got some 2nd degree burns on her elbow and back that scared us pretty bad.

Trip to Nauvoo

Whilst we had Mike's parents in town, we planned a trip to Nauvoo-somewhere we've been wanting to visit for 8 years since we moved here but never did. We stopped in Independence on the way and saw the visitor's center and Liberty Jail. In Nauvoo, Mike's mom had rented a house that the kids loved! All four little beds up in the attic room made them very happy indeed. My sister Lauryn and her kids joined us in Nauvoo and she was able to babysit for us so we could attend the temple with Mike's parents. What a beautiful temple! (I fell in love with the red, white and blue stars and the woodwork is amazing!) It rained on us while touring old Nauvoo, but it didn't dampen our spirits-the kids had a blast dressing as pioneers, playing pioneer games and visiting all the shops. On the way back home, we visited Carthage Jail and Adam-ondi-ahman. It was a wonderful and spiritual vacation.

Michael's baptism

What a day it was-first Mike's graduation and then Michael's baptism. He was so happy to have so many friends and family there. He looked so handsome with his new scriptures (thanks Grandpa and Grandma Chavez), a new suit, and a new journal from Bishop Kitchen. It was definately the highlight of the day-as it should have been. We are so pleased with Michael and the choices he makes every day.